Category: Start-ups

Industry Overview, mapping, Space, Start-ups

China’s Spaceplane Projects: Past, Present and Future

This article is the second and final part of a two-piece blog post by China Aerospace Blog on Chinese spaceplanes. The first part discussed China’s historical approach to reusability, and more specifically to spaceplanes. This part extends the discussion by reviewing current Chinese spaceplane projects, and provides a map. Mapping Current Chinese Spaceplane Projects Below is a map of all Chinese spaceplane projects, including abandoned … Continue reading China’s Spaceplane Projects: Past, Present and Future

Jean Deville3 Comments
Interviews, Investment, Personal blog posts, Space, Start-ups

Discussing the Most Marking Events of Chinese Space in 2019 (Podcast)

This article is a short summary for the end-of-year podcast my friend Blaine Curcio and I have recorded earlier this week, summing up the highlights of Chinese space in 2019. The podcast is freely available in the audio links below. Part 1: Launch, Constellations, Investment (58 minutes) Part 2: Space Exploration, and the “Pot Pourri Section” (39 minutes) For listeners accessing the webpage from China, … Continue reading Discussing the Most Marking Events of Chinese Space in 2019 (Podcast)

Jean Deville2 Comments
Industry Overview, Investment, Space, Start-ups

Thoughts on the “Hype” about China’s NewSpace Launcher Startups – (Part 2/2)

This blogpost is a follow-up of a previous article (part 1/2) discussing the hype about Chinese private launchers. While we previously essentially put emphasis on investment and launch vehicles from an offer standpoint, this second and final post focuses on the demand for launchers, in other words to what extent the small sat market will be able to sustain Chinese launchers. Market Size and Ecosystem … Continue reading Thoughts on the “Hype” about China’s NewSpace Launcher Startups – (Part 2/2)

Jean Deville1 Comment
Industry Overview, Investment, Space, Start-ups

Thoughts on the “Hype” about China’s NewSpace Launcher Startups – (Part 1/2)

Introduction When discussing the rapid development of China’s private space sector and notably launch vehicles, many observers hint at a bubble: an unhealthy number of startups all pursuing the same scope of activities with similar technical solutions, and unsustainable growth not correlated with market demand. Is this justified? In this blogpost I offer some thoughts and engage in a comparison between Chinese and US NewSpace, … Continue reading Thoughts on the “Hype” about China’s NewSpace Launcher Startups – (Part 1/2)

Jean Deville2 Comments
Industry Overview, Investment, Space, Start-ups

Who’s Investing in China’s NewSpace? FutureAerospace Provides Some Answers in Latest Report

Note: the figures in this blog post come from FutureAerospace’s latest Commercial Space Investment Race report. In this article I have translated and commented on them. Original report in Mandarin is readily available on the web, for example at [1] or [2]. Yes, China’s NewSpace is growing. But Who is Backing Them? Space industry observers are generally aware that a very significant amount of investment … Continue reading Who’s Investing in China’s NewSpace? FutureAerospace Provides Some Answers in Latest Report

Jean DevilleLeave a comment
Industry Overview, mapping, Space, Start-ups

A Large Scale Update of the China Aerospace Blog NewSpace Mapping (June 2019 edition)

Introduction The NewSpace mapping of China Aerospace Blog has just been updated (June 2019 edition), adding 32 more startups to the landscape. Just as the previous edition, are included in the mapping the following companies: Private space startups, the core of the mapping, and most of which have been founded after the opening of China’s space industry to private investment in 2014 (see China’s New … Continue reading A Large Scale Update of the China Aerospace Blog NewSpace Mapping (June 2019 edition)

Jean DevilleLeave a comment
Investment, Personal blog posts, Space, Start-ups

Impressions on the 2019 edition of China Space Day, in Changsha

This blog post inaugurates a more personal article series, that will give an account of my trips and visits in China (exhibitions, rocket launches, visits…). Do let me know what you think in the comments or by private message. This weekend marks the closure of the events surrounding the 4th edition of China Space Day, which took place in Changsha from the 22nd to the … Continue reading Impressions on the 2019 edition of China Space Day, in Changsha

Jean DevilleLeave a comment
Industry Overview, mapping, Space, Start-ups

The Technical Choices of China’s NewSpace Launcher Companies in 2019

This article looks at the technical choices of Chinese NewSpace startups regarding propulsion technology and expendability/reusability, and what this reveals of their understanding of the commercial launch market. At the time of writing, we are entering the 5th year of China’s “Open Up Policy” in the space industry, which has enabled private capital to flow into space companies and triggered the emergence of a large … Continue reading The Technical Choices of China’s NewSpace Launcher Companies in 2019

Jean DevilleLeave a comment
Focus on a company, Space, Start-ups

Space Transportation (凌空天行), yet another Chinese launcher start-up entering the NewSpace race

Yet another new Chinese launcher start-up has been revealed and put into the spotlight this week: Space Transportation (which is a rough translation of its Chinese name: 凌空天行). The company was actually founded back in August 2018, but had been keeping a low profile ever since. However last Thursday, Source Code Capital (源码资本) published on its WeChat official account that “it had provided Space Transportation … Continue reading Space Transportation (凌空天行), yet another Chinese launcher start-up entering the NewSpace race

Jean DevilleLeave a comment
Industry Overview, Space, Start-ups

China’s NewSpace: Mapping of its 60+ Start-ups

Introduction Chinese space has been a very hot topic in recent years. Other than the impressive space exploration missions (Tiangong, Chang’e…), the interest for China is also due to the recent opening up of this industry to private investments, which has led to a leap in the number of space start-ups. These start-ups, supported by venture capital heavy-weights are covering the entire space industrial chain: … Continue reading China’s NewSpace: Mapping of its 60+ Start-ups

Jean DevilleLeave a comment